Manufacture of pezzer catheters



Jan. 26, 1943. J. M. AUZIN MANUFACTURE OF PEZZAR CATHETERS Filed Feb. 5, 1941 Patented Jan. 26, 1943 MAN UFAGTURE; F PEZZER CATHETERS John M. Auzin, Warwick, R. I., assignor to Davol Rubber Company, a corporation of Rhode Island Original application M 195,755. Divided and 3, 1941, Serial No. 37

2 Claims.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 195,755, filed March 14, 1938, entitled Catheters and their manufacture.

My present invention relates to the manufacture of catheters, and has particular reference to the manufacture of pezzer head catheters.

It is the principal object of my invention to provide a catheter construction in which the head parts fold together when extended by means of the usual metal form, so as to facilitate insertion and removal of the catheter.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a catheter construction in which the head parts move together when pressed longitudinally so as to reduce the over all Width of the catheter.

Another object of my invention is to provide a catheter having grooves integrally formed in the button head so as to guide the head parts in collapsing when subjected to the longitudinal pressure of an inserting form.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view, my invention consists of a novel method more fully disclosed in the detailed description following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, and more specifically' defined in the claims appended thereto.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, showing the novel catheter;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section thereof, partly broken away, on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the novel former for forming the catheter;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the pezzer head;

Fig. 5 is an end view of the former;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view partly broken away, showing the catheter in extended position; and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, sectioned on the line 'I-l of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawing, the novel button head catheter II] has a pezzer head II and a rear, slightly enlarged funnel end I2, the catheter being tubular as shown in Fig. 2, and the head having a tip I3, which is preferably thickened, and which may be reinforced with a textile insert or the like, if desired, the catheter also having spaced lobes or sections I4 separated by grooves or indentations I5, which preferably terminate in openings [6 at their upper ends.

The catheters are preferably formed of latex, by dipping on a former I! which consists of a rod portion I8 with a slightly enlarged funnel end I9, and a separate head portion 20. which has a central recess for detachable mounting on a pin 2| extending from the head end of the rod arch 14, 1938, Serial No. this application February I8. The head 29 has lobes 22, see Fig. 5, separated by longitudinal grooves 23, and a tip portion 24. When the parts are dipped, the latex forms as a coating over the former, successive clippings preferably with intermediate dips in coagulent solution building up the catheter to the desired thickness. After this thickness is reached, the catheter is air dried, and the openings I6 are then cut on the catheter while it is still on the former I1, these openings being cut over the recess ends. The former rod I8 is then withdrawn, and the former head 20 may then be withdrawn through one of the openings I6, the latter being sufficiently extendible to freely permit the head removal. If desired one opening for withdrawal may be cut, the other openings being out after withdrawal.

In practice, a small number of dips, depending on the size of the catheter, are made on the assembled former; then the coated head is severed from the rest of the former, and the head coating removed; then the head is replaced on the former and the dips are continued, whereby a thick catheter tube and a thin pezzer head is obtained. It is sometimes desirable to additionally dip the top only of the head, to increase the top thickness while keeping the head body thin, whereby the head body is very elastic and the head top is strengthened to withstand the elongating pressure.

The novel catheter is thus an integral pezzer head catheter, formed in one piece, without seams, and having the pezzer head provided with indentations or recesses I5, whereby the insertion of a rod 25, see Fig. 6, and forward pressure on this rod so as to extend the pezzer head, results in a folding of the pezzer head as is clearly shown in Fig. 6, with the recess portions folding inwardly to permit the entire pezzer head to assume a relatively narrow outside diameter with no parts or edges extending out, whereby ready insertion and removal of the catheter without pain to the patient results.

The use of forms made in separable pieces as disclosed supra, permits the manufacture of rubber articles having intermediate enlarged portions of much greater diameter than the end portions, whereby the inventive concept may be applied to the manufacture of other articles made of rubber or other resilient material, to eliminate seams and other disadvantageous features obtained when using separable molds.

While I have described a specific method of manufacturing the novel catheter, and a specific former for manufacturing the novel catheter, it

is obvious that the invention disclosed supra may be applied to the manufacture of other rubber articles, and that changes in the shape, size, and design of the parts may be made to suit the requirements for difierent rubber articles, and particularly catheters, without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim: 1. A former for a pezzer head catheter, com prising an elongated body rod, and a separate head, said head being generally conical in form and internally threaded along the axis thereof, and having longitudinal recesses, and said body rod being threaded at the end thereof for releasable threading attachment to said head.

2. The method of forming pezzer head catheters, comprising forming layers of rubber by dipping or the like a form having a separable pezzer head with reduced ends and a wide intermediate portion, said intermediate portion having spaced longitudinal recesses, cutting a relatively small opening in the rubber layer over one recess, said opening forming a continuation of the said recess, and removing the separable head through the distended opening.

JOHN M. AUZIN. 

